Counter and diverter for can body machines



July 10, 1934: c. HANSEN 1,966,387

COUNTER AND DIVERTER FOR CAN BODY MACHINES Filed June 2, 1932 4Sheets-Sheet l \s i j sq t Q 2: s "3 a? a f l. 7 l 8 N Q N INVENTORCHE/J HH/YJE/Y ATTORNEY July 10, 1934. c. HANSEN COUNTER AND DIVERTERFOR CAN BODY MACHINES Filed June 2. 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N R 5 O O O OO O O o J m m E N at -u w 6 I 0 j Q Q K Q s & m & hfl J V 1 0 A 3 hum I-r 8 9 OQOOOOQQQOOOOMWOMWQQO 0O 4 1l| I o 1 o v 3 Q o k xv & o o o m h R.wm k W 3 \G.\ Q. m m Q R Q QK R n & m r a Q 1 Q Q. Q Q l ATTORNEY July10, 1934. c. HANSEN COUNTER AND DIVERTER FOR CAN BODY MACHINES FiledJune 2, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1r o o ooooooo OOOOO INVENTOR CHE/JHHNJE/Y ATTORNEY July 10, 1934. c. HANSEN 1,966,387

COUNTER AND DIVERTER FOR CAN BODY MACHINES Filed June 2, 1932 4Sheets-Sheet. 4

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04 view a ATTORNEY Patented July 10, 1934 PATENT OFFICE ooun'raa ANDDIVERTER FOR CAN nonr MACHINES Chris Hansen, Seattle, Wash., assignor toContinental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a

corporation- Application June 2, 1932, Serial No. 615,015

6 Claims. (Cl. 235-98) This invention relates to automatic counting anddiverting mechanism of a character whereby articles delivered from atraveling line may be counted and in predetermined numbers diverted fromthe line, alternately, into different receptacles.

More particularly, the present invention relates to an automaticmechanism of the above character designed for use in connection with canbody makers, and it has for its principal object to provide a counterand diverter mechanism whereby a definite number of can bodies, asdelivered from the machine, may be diverted into a packing chute at oneside of the point of delivery, and then a like number be diverted into apacking chute at the other side.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a mechanism whereinthe counting mechanism is actuated directly by the articles in thetraveling line, as distinguished from being controlled by the machine orconveyer mechanism, and wherein the diverter device is directly underthe control of the counter, thereby avoiding any error in the deliveryof the cans into the different receptacles by reason of any absence ofcans from the regular order of delivery.

More specifically stated, the present invention resides in the use of apivoted diverter chute into which the can bodies from the machine arede-,

livered, and a counter mechanism that is actuated by the bodies asdelivered to this chute to move it, first to a position whereby acertain predetermined number of bodies will be directed into a packingchute at one side of the machine and then a like number directed into apacking chute at the other side; the diverter chute being open at itsopposite ends and the bodies being delivered by gravity first from oneend thereof and then from the other in accordance with its direction ofinclination.

Other objects of the invention reside in the various details ofconstruction, in the combination of parts and in their mode ofoperation, as will hereinafter be fully described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms ofwhich are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is aside elevation of a body maker equipped with a counter and divertermechanism embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, illustratingthe two packing chutes and the relative position of the diverter chuteassociated therewith.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the delivery end of the body makershowing the counter and diverter as applied thereto.

Fig. '4 is a side elevation and partial sectional view of the mechanismof Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail, illustrating the movement of the counter actuatingslide.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the counter and diverter as seen from theside opposite that shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a plan view, diagrammatically showing the driving connectionsfor the conveyer systems.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the counter and diverter mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 9-9 in Fig. 6.

Fig. 10 is a cross sectional view on the line l010 in Fig.6.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- Fig. 1 illustrates a can bodymaker of a type to which the present counter and diverter mechanism isapplicable. This particular type of body maker is for the manufacture offlat can bodies, that is, can bodies that are made flat and subsequentlyare to be made into cylindrical form. It comprises the body machineproper, designated by reference numeral 1, the side seamer mechanism 2and the cooler mechanism 3; these three mechanisms being associatedtogether as a single machine and all are operated in synchronism from acommon source of power, which as shown is an electric motor 4. A lineshaft 5 is operatively connected with the motorthrough suitabletransmission gearing designated at 5a, and extends in a direction.lengthwise of the machine and is revolubly supported in bearings 6attached to the supporting frames '7 of the cooler and side seamer.

On the body maker 1 is a hopper 8 within which can body blanks may beplaced to be fed into the machine for forming into can bodies. In Figs.1, 3, 4 and 10 the formed bodies are designated by reference characterB. The bodies B as formed in the body machine 1, are taken up byaconveyer belt 9 and moved in regular spacing along horn 10 through themechanism 2 where solder is applied to the side seam and they arefinally delivered from the horn into a guideway 11 and onto a pair ofconveyer chains 1212 operating lengthwise of the guideway and wherebythe bodies are carried to the counter and diverter mechanism at the endof the guideway.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the conveyer chain belt 9 is operable atopposite ends of the horn 10 about sprocket wheels 13 and 14 with thelower run of the belt closely overlying the horn. The belt is providedat regular intervals with attachment links 15 in the form of pusherswhereby the can bodies as delivered from the body machine and pushedinsuccession along the horn and across the solder roll are finallydelivered into the guideway 11. The sprocket wheel 13, as observed bestby reference to the diagrammatic view of Fig. '7, is mounted by a crossshaft 16 and this is equipped at one end with a driving bevel gear 17. Ashort shaft 18, parallel with the horn and mounted in a bearing 19, hasa bevel gear 20 keyed thereon meshing with the gear 17, and it also hasa sprocket wheel 21 keyed thereon and driven by a chain belt 22operating about a sprocket wheel 23 keyed on a counter shaft 24. Thecounter shaft 24, in turn, is driven by a geared connection, as at 25,with the line shaft 5.

The guideway 11, as seen in Figs. 3 and 10, is formed by two parallel,spaced angle bars 2'7--27 between which the can bodies B are forwardedupon the upper runs of the pair of parallel conveyer belts 12-12; theupper runs of the belts being supported in guide channels 28-28 whichserve as the base of the guideway. These belts, as seen in Fig. 7,operate about sprocket wheels 30-30' at opposite ends of the guideway.The sprocket wheels 30 are fixed on a cross shaft 31 driven from theshaft 5, as seen best in Fig. 3, wherein 34 designates a supportingbracket for the shaft 31 and 35 designates a bevelled driving gear keyedon the shaft. A counter shaft 36 is revolubly supported in the bracketparallel with the guideway and this shaft has a main bevel gear 37meshing with the driving gear 35 and also has a sprocket wheel 38 keyedthereon and driven by a chain belt 39 operating about a sprocket wheel40 fixed on the shaft 5. Thus it will be apparent that by use of gearsof proper ratio, the two conveyer systems will be driven in synchronismand the can bodies advanced from the horn will be taken up and conveyedin spaced relation, as seen in Fig. 6, by the conveyer belts 12, andfinally delivered therefrom to the counter and diverter mechanism.

The counter and diverter mechanism is mounted at the delivery end of theguideway 11 upon a supporting bracket 45 that is fixed to the end frame7 which supports that end of the guide way. As observed by reference toFig. 2, there are two packing chutes 46 and 4'7 at the delivery end ofthe guideway 11 into which the can bodies may be alternately diverted,and there is a diverter chute 50 arranged to receive the can bodiesdirectly from the guideway 11 and to selectively divert them into one orthe other of the packing chutes which extend downwardly and at rightangles to the guideway. As seen best in Fig. 10, the diverter chute isdisposed transversely of the direction of the delivery of the cans, andit is fixed intermediate its ends upon an actuating shaft 51 andthis.shaft is revolubly supported lengthwise of the direction ofdelivery of cans along the machine; on bearings 5252 fixed upon thebracket 45. This diverter chute has a flat bottom wall 50a, a high outerside wall 501) against which the cans are delivered from the guideway11, and a low opposite side wall 500 which is below the line ofdelivery. The opposite ends of the chute 50 are open and the cansreceived may be diverted into one or the other of the packing chutes 46or 47 by tilting the chute 50 in that direction.

The tilting of this diverter chute is automatically controlled byrotative action of shaft 51 under control of a counter mechanismactuated by can bodies delivered along the guideway 11. The countermechanism will best be understood by reference to Figs. 4, 5 and 6,wherein 53 designates a slide that is mounted upon the bracket 45 belowthe diverter chute for movement in supports in the direction of deliveryof cans one of which is indicated at 54. This slide 53, as seen in Fig.5, has an upturned leg 530, at what will be termed its forward end. Thisleg extends upwardly between the conveyer chains 12--12 and into thepath of delivery of can bodies B so that each body delivered along theguideway 11 will engage therewith and push the slide rearwardly, as fromthe full line position of Fig. 5 to the dotted line position. Fixed inthe slide is a cross pin 56 movable in a slot 57 fixed in a plate 58that is fixed in an upright position on bracket 45. The slot isdownwardly and rearwardly inclined so that as the slide 53 is pushedrearwardly by a can delivered along the guideway 11 and engaging the end53a, the engaged end of the slide will be caused to move downwardly,thereby to release the upturned end from the can. When the slide is thusreleased, it is pulled forwardly, back to initial position by a coiledspring 60 which is attached at one end to the fixed plate 58 and at itsother end to a depending lug 61 on the rearward end of the slide.

In order that the cans will positively actuate this slide when theyengage the end 53a, it is necessary to hold them against slippage on theconveyer chains 12-12 and for this purpose I provide a pair of rubbercovered pressure rollers 6565 overlying the guideway, as in Figs. 3 and4, to press downwardly on the can bodies as they engage with and passover the upturned leg of the slide. These ,rolls are fixed on asupporting cross shaft 66 revoluble in the bracket 34 and the shaft isdriven to cause the rollers to rotate in accordance with the forwardmovement of the cans. The means for driving the shaft 66 as seen in Fig.3, consists of a sprocket chain belt 68 that operates about a sprocketwheel 69 on shaft 66 and a sprocket wheel '70 on the hub of a bevel gear71 revoluble on shaft 31 and in driving mesh with gear 37.

Fixed on the bracket 45, in spaced relation, are standards '75-75 whichmount a cross shaft 76 between them, as seen best in Fig. 9. Revolubleon this shaft is a wheel 78 provided in one face, as seen in Fig. 6,with two spaced circular grooves 79 and 80 concentric of the wheel andconnected at diametrically opposite points by grooves 81 and 82,extending in a direction radially of the wheel. Fixed to the other faceof the wheel '78, but spaced therefrom by a washer 83, is a gear wheel84, and at the outside of this gear is a cam disk eccentrically mountedand provided with a circular groove 86 eccentric of the shaft. The shaftin this instance is stationary while wheel '78, washer 83, gear 84 anddisk 85 are fixed together and rotate on the shaft. The disk 85 is soarranged relative to wheel 78 that the point in the circular groove 86that is farthest from the axis of rotation, and the point closest tothis axis, are alined with the slots 81 and 82 which connect the grooves'79 and 80 in the wheel 78.

Mounted in standards 7575 below the gear wheel, is a cross shaft 88 onwhich a small pinion 89 is fixed to rotate the large gear 84. Also fixedon shaft 88 is a ratchet wheel 90. A pawl bracket 91 pivots on the shaftand this is provided at its outer end with a spring pressed pawl 92engaging the ratchet. Also, on the pawl bracket is a stud 93 restingupon an inclined cam surface 94 of a cam plate 95 fixed to the rearwardend of the slide 58. This plate has ahorizontal slot 96 through which asupporting pin 9'7 extends. Thus, when the slide 53 is actuatedrearwardly by the con tacting of a can body with the upturned leg at itsforward end, the cam plate 95 actuates the pawl bracket 91-upwardly andthe pawl 92 engages and rotates the ratchet 90 a distance of one tooth.The gear 84 in the present instance has one hundred sixty teeth. Thegear 89 has sixteen teeth while the ratchet has thirty six teeth. Thus,the large gear 84, wheel '78 and disk 85 will make one completerevolution in unison for every three hundred sixtieth reciprocal actionof the slide; that is, for every three hundred sixty can bodiesdelivered.

Mounted vertically between the standards '75-'75, is a U-shaped yoke100, the legs 100a and 1007) of which are disposed at opposite sides ofthe gear and wheels on the cross shaft '76 and are longitudinallyslotted, as at 101, at their upper ends to receive the cross shaft.Fixed in the base of the yoke is a guide pin 102 extending slidablywithin a hole 103 in the mounting bracket 45. There is also a block 105slidably fitted on the leg 100a of the yoke and a stud 106 extendsthrough the block and also through a longitudinal slot 107 in the yokeleg and coiled springs 108 and 109 are disposed in this slot at oppositesides of the stud to bear oppositely thereagainst. The outer end of thisstud is arranged for travel in the circular slots '79 and 80 of wheel'78 as will be observed in Fig. 9.

By reference to Fig. 9, it will be observed also that a stud 112 extendsinwardly from the leg mob of yoke 100 and follows in the circular groove86 of the disk 85 fixed eccentrically of wheel '78. Thus, when the diskis rotated, the yoke is caused to move upwardly and downwardlyaccordingly.

The movement of the diverter chute from a position to deliver cans intoone packing chute and then into the other, is under control of the pivotshaft 51 by which the chute is mounted. This shaft, at its forward end,has a laterally directed crank arm 115 connected pivotally at its outerend, as at 116, to a bracket 11'7 fixed to the block 105 slidable on theyoke leg 10011. If the block moves upwardly, the shaft 51 is rotated totilt the chute todivert cans into packing chute 4'7. If the block movesdownwardly, it rotates the shaft in'an opposite direction, thus todivert the cans into the chute 46.

Movement of the block 105 from one position to the other is the effectof unequal pressure of springs 108-109 bearing thereagainst when thegroove 81 or 82 in wheel '78 is brought into position to permit the stud106 to move from one to the other of the circular grooves '79 and 80,and a difference in pressure of the springs is the result of thevertical movement of yoke 100 caused by travel of stud 112 in theeccentric groove 86 of disk 85 as the latter rotates.

Assuming the parts to be so constructed, and assembled, operation willbe as follows:

With cans being delivered in regular order from the body machine 1, theywill be taken up by the lower run of the conveyer chain belt 9 anddelivered along the horn 10 across the soldering means and finallydelivered into the guideway 11.

The conveyer chains 12-12, operating in the guideway 11, carry these canbodies, in spaced relation, to the counting and diverting mechanism. Asthe can bodies successively pass beneath the pressure rolls they arebrought into contact with the upturned end 53a. of the slide 53 and pushthe slide rearwardly, against the holding tension of the spring 60. Asthe slide 53 moves rearwardly, the inclined cam surface 94 of the camplate 95 actuates the pawl bracket 91 upwardly and the pawl 92 engagesthe ratchet wheel 90 to rotate it an interval of one tooth. As the slide53 moves rearwardly the pin 56, through its forward end portion, moveswithin the downward inclined slot 57 of the plate 58 and thereby pullsthe upturned end of the slide downwardly to disengage it from the canbody. The spring 60 then immediately returns the slide to initialposition, ready for contact by the next oncoming can body.

Successive operation of the slide thus rotates the ratchet 90 and,through the gearing mechanism provided, rotates the large wheel '78 andthe eccentric disk 85. Assuming that at the start of an operation, theparts are in the position shown in Fig. 9, with the stud 106 of theblock 105 disposed within the outer circular slot 79 in the wheel '78-and the disk 85 in a position whereby the yoke is moved to its loweredposition. Then by reason of successive operations of the slide, thewheel '78 and eccentric disk will be rotated in the direction of thearrow in Fig. 4, and the stud 112 following in the groove 86 in the disk85 will cause the yoke to be moved upwardly, but since the stud 106 isthen contained within the groove '79, the block 105 cannot move upwardlyand therefore the spring 109 will be placed under compression. When thewheel '18 has finally been rotated through an arc of one hundred eightydegrees, it will bring the connecting slot 81 into alinement with thestud 106 and the spring 109 will then actuate the block 105 upwardly andthe stud 106 will pass into the inner circular groove 80. This upwardmovement of the block, through the bracket 117 and crank arm 115 of theshaft 81 will cause the latter to be rotated in such manner as to tiltthe diverter chute from its dotted line position of Fig. 10 to the fullline position, thereby to divert the cans received therein from chute 46into chute 4'7.

As the wheel '78 and eccentric disk 85 continue to revolve, the yoke 100will then be moved downwardly to place the spring 108 under compression.The block 105 however, is now retained in its upper position by reasonof the stud 106 being confined within the slot 80. However, afterrotation of the wheel '78 through one half turn, the stud 106 is broughtinto alinement with the other connecting passage 81 and the spring 108moves the stud through this passage back into the outer slot '79 Thismovement of the block returns the diverter chute to its initial positionand the cans received will be diverted into the other packing chute.

By properly proportioning the gears, or movement of the ratchet, thedevice may be made to operate to divert any desired number of cans intoone chute before it changes to divert into the other.

While it is not essential that the grooves '79 and continue through afull circle, this is desirable to prevent possible damage in the eventthe block would for any reason not be actuated at the proper time.

While the invention is described as in a can body machine, it will beunderstood that it may be used with any type of machine for producingcans or metal parts to be used therewith where it is desired to countand separately group a predetermined number of parts.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is-- 1. A counting and divertingmechanism for conveyed articles comprising a conveyor having means forpositively moving the articles in a line, packing chutes on oppositesides of the line of travel for receiving the articles, a movablediverter disposed so as to receive the articles from the conveyor, aspring for shifting the diverter in one direction and a spring forshifting it in the other direction, means for storing power alternatelyin said springs for operating the diverter, and a control means forrestraining the movement of the diverter operated by the passingarticles and efiective to release the spring in which power has beenstored for action when a predetermined number of articles have passedinto a packing chute.

2. A counting and diverting mechanism for conveyed articles comprising aconveyor having means for positively moving the articles in a line,packing chutes on opposite sides of the line of travel for receiving thearticles, a movable diverter disposed so as to receive the articles fromthe conveyor, a spring for shifting said diverter in one direction and aspring for shifting it in the other direction, a rotating memberoperated by the passing articles for storing power, first in one springand then the other, and a control means for restraining the movement ofthe diverter operated by the passing articles and effective to releasethe spring in which power has been stored for action when apredetermined number of articles have passed into a packing chute.

3. A counting and diverting mechanism for conveyed articles comprising aconveyor having means for positively moving the articles in a line,packing chutes on opposite sides of the line of travel for receiving thearticles, a movable diverter disposed so as to receive the articles fromthe conveyor, a spring for shifting the diverter in one direction and aspring for shifting it in the other direction, means for storing poweralternately in said springs for operating the diverter, a memberattached to the diverter operated upon alternately by said springs, arotating disk, concentric grooves therein spaced from each other, and aradial groove connecting the same, a pin carried by said member andextending into the grooves, said disk operating to restrain the movementof said member when power is stored in the spring for operating the sameuntil the disk is turned to present the radial groove to the pin,whereupon said pin shifts to the other concentric groove and the springshifts the diverter.

4. A counting and diverting mechanism for conveyed articles comprising aconveyor having means for positively moving the articles in a line,

packing chutes on opposite sides of the line of travel for receiving thearticles, a movable diverter disposed so as to receive the articles fromthe conveyor, a spring for shifting said diverter in one direction and aspring for shifting it in the other direction, a rotating memberoperated by the passing articles for storing power, first in one springand then the other, a member attached to the diverter operated uponalternately by said springs, a rotating disk, concentric grooves thereinspaced from each other, and a radial groove connecting the same, a pincarried by said member and extending into the grooves, said diskoperating to restrain the movement of said member when power is storedin the spring for operating the same until the disk is turned to presentthe radial groove to the pin, whereupon said pin shifts to the otherconcentric groove and the spring shifts the diverter.

5. A counting and diverting mechanism for conveyed articles comprising aconveyor having means for positively moving the articles in a line,packing chutes on opposite sides of the line or travel for receiving thearticles, a movable diverter disposed so as to receive the articles fromthe conveyor, a movable member connected to said diverter for shiftingthe same, a compression spring at each side of said member, andcontacting therewith, a yoke associated with said springs and shiftablefor storing power first in one spring and then the other, a rotatingshaft connected to the yoke for shifting the same first in one directionand then the other, and control means operated by the passing articlesfor restraining the movement of said member when power is stored in saidspring and effective to release the member for action when apredetermined number of articles have passed into the packing chute.

6. A counting and diverting mechanism for conveyed articles comprising aconveyor having means for positively moving the articles in a line,packing chutes on opposite sides of the line of travel for receiving thearticles, a movable diverter disposed so as to receive the articles fromthe conveyor, a movable member connected to said diverter for shiftingthe same, a compression spring at each side of said member andcontacting therewith, a yoke associated with said springs and shiftablefor storing power first in one spring and then the other, a rotatingshaft connected to the yoke for shifting the same first in one directionand then the other, a control disk operated by the passing articles andhaving two spaced concentric grooves therein, a radial groove until theradial groove permits the pin to shift to the other concentric groove,and means operated by the passing articles for actuating said disk.

CHRIS HANSEN.

